Bill Larsen, CTS, serves as District AV Technology Coordinator for ISD 197 (West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan, Minnesota), managing AV services across nine buildings including two high schools, two middle schools, and five elementary schools. He holds the CTS credential from AVIXA and serves as a Subject Matter Expert for CTS exam development.
Bill is the founder of Backstage Essentials LLC, an independent consulting practice focused on K-12 performance space and AV systems. His forthcoming book, Backstage Essentials: Skills for Stagehand Technicians in Live Event Production, is being published by Routledge/Taylor and Francis in 2026.
He also serves as Education Coordinator for IATSE Local 490 and brings more than 30 years of experience in educational technology and live event production.
Michael Willis
Courtroom Technology Specialist, United States District Court - Northern District of Iowa
Eighteen years of experience in higher education AV, three years of experience in government AV. Non-professional interests include tennis, hiking, and the gospel.
Integrated marketing communications professional specializing in the pro AV market. More than 25 years of agency experience working closely with manufacturers, distributors, and systems integrators by employing creative marketing, event management, public relations, and social media strategies that effectively build brands, reach intended audiences, and deliver results.
Long time AV industry member, lover of tech, and wizard.
Audio Visual Subject Matter Expert AVIXA CTS, CTS-D & CTS-I Certified CEDIA CIT, IST, ESC, ESC-D, ESC-T & ESC-N Certified 30yrs of AV design engineering, installation, system commissioning, project management & troubleshooting experience for both commercial and residential AV with demonstrated, extensive competency across a broad spectrum of AV applications, for example; corporate, banking & finance, hospitality, education, medical, government, military, transportation hubs, casino & gaming, performance theatre, live entertainment venues, theme parks, museums, stadia, high-end residential & private cinema, and royal palaces. Global exposure designing & delivering AV projects in 16 countries across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East Regions. Extensively involved as an AV Subject Matter Expert developing AV Standards and international certification examination questions for both AVIXA & CEDIA. Australian & French dual citizen, currently divides time between Hong Kong & Vietnam.
With 14 years of experience in audio-visual system integration, consultancy, and deployment across the Asia-Pacific region, I’ve developed a strong understanding of the region’s unique challenges and opportunities. I’ve had the opportunity to work on large-scale AV and broadcast systems for some of the world’s leading multinational companies, aligning with global standards to support seamless collaboration and productivity across diverse teams and locations. I enjoy crafting practical, user-focused technology solutions, and increasingly draw on AI and emerging tech to improve workflows and outcomes. Outside of work, I teach immersive media as an adjunct lecturer, where I get to share my curiosity and inspire students to explore what’s possible.